Look at my new turntable.

[vinyl1]

This has stock arm wiring, right? You might want to look at the arm wiring thread. Perhaps the sound you're hearing is the result of the sound going through several connections and a circuit board before it reaches your preamp.

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

Nice review. I always have wondered how the modern belt drives stack up with the tried and proven Japanese DD's of the seventies. That said, I just bought a new MMF-5.1 and it should get here this week. I will compare it to my Sony X50 and X6 as well as my PL-41.

I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts on the MMF-5.1. Will it have a cartridge included?

 

[MWalt]

I'll be very interested to hear your thoughts on the MMF-5.1. Will it have a cartridge included?

Yes, it comes with a Goldring 1012GX. I got a great deal on it. I called a dealer on Sunday that had a 10 day old one listed for $696.00. The dealer said they were sorry that the ad was still there because it had sold last week. He then gave me a new one for the same price. I saved a couple of bucks.

 

[JohnVF]

That was a very fair assessment of this turntable, and it kind of panned out the way I thought it would given what you already have and what you were playing. The strengths of the 1200, to me, are in rhythmic drive and impact, and not really the richness that seems to be what some belt drives really effortlessly bring to the table (this isn't a judgment either way, just my own observation on the 1200s I have used, against my old Systemdek and Linn Axis). Maybe the 1200 could be made to sound more like those tables with some modification and different cartridge choice. I certainly would never call the 1200 'euphonic', or whatever that word is, but it certainly can get one out of his or her seat dancing around the room. Which is perhaps, along with its ruggedness, torque, and speed variability, why DJs gravitated towards it. The upper end of the MMF line looks really nice, though i've only heard as far as the 5, which I really liked. At this level of turntables, it certainly becomes a subjective call as it doesn't sound like either is bad..they're just different animals.

Thanks for the nice right up, Bob.

 

[thedelihaus]

...Here's what I think...

I think you wrote a fair and accurate review.

Strengths like speed stability, robust build, lack of wow/flutter are to be noted.

I feel the Technics has the advantage here over the similiar and even next model price bracket upwards Regas and Music Halls.

I will also give it, to my needs, the nods for ease of use due to it's very quick start-up and instant 33 to 45 speed change, and instant stop via electronic brake.

Your assesment of a (comparably) grainy or coarse tonality to the table (compared to the 5.1) is also a very fair assessment.

The Technics is built on 30 year old technology and also to a price point. The table itself is accurate and up to the task, but the arm and wiring needs a boost.

Before I'm hung by the Technics crowd for heresy, consider the tests I posted above- even 30 years back the arm proved resonant in a harmful way.

The arm was a cheaper derivative of the EPA 100,250 and 500 arms- which combated this issue with a nitrided titanium arm wand and fluid dampening.

Of course this raised the cost of the arm.

Does this mean the stock arm is bunk? No. Address the resonance issue (remember big names like Koetsu and Sumiko and Audioquest did this by a simple rubberized sleeve over the tube) and improve the cost-effective but less than stellar RCAs and tone arm cable to combat it's weaknesses and bring it up to snuff. Remember- the tone arm bearings are of great quality. Tone arm tube and wiring, not so much.

For me, I have experimented wth more modern arms with good results.


Bob, fair and accurate review. If you keep the table, consider dampening the arm tube and changing the cabling (all of it- and bypass the circuit board too) to see what you think. The sound still may not be to your preferences, but I would be eager to hear your impressions.

Thanks again for an honest and fair assessment.

Interesting analysis Bob. I have a hard time imagining a table designed for working DJ's, can provide nirvana for the audiophile. Yes, it's a great table with much to offer. Yes, it can be modded 100 different ways....

just to set the record straight, the SL-1200 MK2 was designed by Technics as a home-use audiophile table- it was never designed as a DJ table from the start.

As CDs came into vogue in 1983-84, with the promise of "perfect sound forever", the albums disappeared, inch by inch, off the shelfs, replaced by CDs, for the next 25 years, until now.

The SL-1200, adopted by DJs for the durability and trouble-free reliability had the good fortune of having a customer base as other tables vanished from the scene.

The later versions past the MK2, like the MK3 and M5G adopted features that he DJs wanted- increased pitch variance, one button return to zero pitch, etc.

The same customer base that saved the SL-1200 from the fate of the oher direct drives also gave it a stigmata as a DJ table.